Coupling device for printing press driving shafts



Nov. .9, 1954 E. GERICKE 2,693,718

COUPLING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS DRIVING SHAFTS Filed July 2, 1951 Inventor:

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United States Patent Ofiice 2,693,718 Patented Nov. 9, 1954 COUPLING DEVICE FOR PRINTING PRESS DRIVING SHAFTS Erich Gericke, Berlin-Steglitz, Germany, assiguor to Roteprint Aktiengesellschaft, Berlin, Germany, a company of Germany Application July 2, 1951, Serial No. 234,860

Claims priority, application Germany July 28, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 74-625) The invention relates to a rotary printing press, particularly an ofiset press, adapted to be driven either by hand or by a motor, in which, by the operation of adjusting devices the hand drive or the motor drive can be coupled with the driving parts of the press, as desired.

Such driving gears are conventional in many forms. Most of these constructions however are complicated in their operation and are delicate in use. The construction according to the present invention permits an easy switching over from hand to motor drive and vice versa with the least expenditure of operative movements.

According to the invention this is achieved in that the hand drive coupling after it has been detached from the driving parts of the press or machine by an axial shifting of a crank coupling can again be coupled with the driving parts by an angular movement of the handle which serves to disconnect the motor. By the axial shifting of the crank coupling a tension device is released and held in a position from which the tension device is brought back into its original position by a slight rotating movement of the hand crank. The crank coupling is under the influence of a spring which returns the axially shifted crank coupling by a rotating movement of the hand crank, as soon as the tension device is returned to its original position. Thus in order to switch from hand drive to motor drive merely an axial shifting movement is required, and for switching from motor drive to hand drive only a slight movement of the hand crank is necessary. The present invention has proved very successful in workshop tests.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a partly sectional front view of the invention.

As shown on the drawing, the machine is being driven by hand and the motor drive is disconnected, although the motor is running.

In order to switch over from hand drive to motor drive, pressure is exerted on a cap C of the crank hub in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), while the hand crank is placed into its idle position, i. e. hanging vertically downwards. Owing to the pressure exerted on the cap C, the coupling claw NI of the coupling member F, connected by bolts with the cap C is shifted away from the coupling claw N2, the coupling member F and the crank handle K thus being brought out of engagement with the driving shaft.

A lever H (see also Figure 1) is under the influence of a spring F1 and loses its support on a flange F of the axially shifted crank neck and moves upwards around the axis 1. A pin B on the lever H, shown in Figures 1 and 2, engages a recess of a bushing R on the crank arm, the recess having an obtuse angle, as shown in Figure 1.

In its upward movement the lever H carries a rod S with it, said rod being connected to one arm of a bellcrank lever W. As the rod S moves upwards the lever W is moved on its pivot thereby causing a coupling M to engage motor A. A sprocket wheel G1 now drives, by means of a chain G2, a sprocket wheel G3, which drives a gear wheel Z. The wheel Z rotates, by means of a gear wheel D1, a printing roller D and the remaining printing gears.

If now the machine is to be stopped or to be switched over to hand drive, the hand crank K is rotated a few degrees to the right or the left. The obtuse angled recess in the ring R then presses the pin B together with the lever H and the rod S downwards. The rod disengages the coupling M of the driving motor A through the lever W. The motor coupling M is released by lowering the lever H, and the drive stops. The lowering of the lever H causes the coupling member F, which carries the coupling claw N1, to be released and to be urged to the coupling claw N2, located on the shaft, by means of a spring F2. The coupling thus being engaged enables the driving shaft to operate by means of the hand crank K. The motor drive is now disengaged and the machine can be driven by the crank K. Pressure on the cap of the crank hub will again cause the machine to be driven by the motor.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for the selective coupling of a hand crank of a motor to a driving shaft of a printing press of the offset type, in which said hand crank is coupled or uncoupled by an axial displacement of a coupling part of the driving shaft, said coupling part after uncoupling said hand crank from the driving shaft effecting coupling of the motor to the driving shaft, that improvement comprising a cam disc operatively connected to said hand crank which turns when turning said hand crank and which when in the uncoupled position of said hand crank serves to couple with the motor, a removable coupling axially displaceable on said driving shaft, a spring urged hand crank coupling member including coupling claws connected to the hand crank for coupling the printing press to be driven by said hand crank, a cap on said hand crank coupling enclosing a spring to urge said coupling against one of said claws and to couple the hand crank with said driving shaft, a shaft and lever mechanism operatively connected to said hand crank and said removable coupling, and said hand crank coupling limiting axial movement of said spring and claw and being connected to the lever of said shaft and lever mechanism to permit the motor to be coupled and released to permit the hand crank to be turned into a position to uncouple the motor.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hand crank coupling is provided with a hollow for a pivot, a pivot fitting in said hollow and is mounted on said lever which is movably connected with one end to the frame of the machine and with its free end to said shaft to couple the motor and driving shaft, a second spring is provided which actuates said pivot into said hollow, whereby the coupling is urged by said spring for said coupling to couple said hand crank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,268,176 Stukart June 4, 1918 1,399,038 Valois Dec. 6, 1921 1,477,480 Groene Dec. 11, 1923 2,238,359 Copeland et al Apr. 15, 1941 2,483,950 Watson ct al Oct. 4, 1949 

